My nix to Denzel is all about the age thing. It would be inspired casting 15 plus years ago. For what Luthor should be in an MOSverse I think that the actor has to be under 50yrs old. Still no love for Chiwetel E. as a Lex? As THE OPERATIVE he showed he could play an intelligent, ruthless killer with swag to spare. If they wanted to go with a black Luthor, THAT is your man.

**** Denzel. Luthor is white. He shouldn't even be considered. Idk why anyone would even suggest such a bogus choice....unless they're going to make him white like they made Robert Downey Jr. black in Tropic Thunder.

**** Denzel. Luthor is white. He shouldn't even be considered. Idk why anyone would even suggest such a bogus choice....unless they're going to make him white like they made Robert Downey Jr black in Tropic Thunder.

I actually consider myself a bit of a "purist" when it comes to my iconic superhero adaptations. But as I have gotten older, maybe wiser, I have been more open to both visual and story driven changes to these long lived franchise characters. I don't have a list for Luthor right now, but if Chiwetel were cast I would not have a problem with it. I would just hope his American accent was up to snuff. Of course that would be my only reservation if D. Craig were cast as well.

I actually consider myself a bit of a "purist" when it comes to my iconic superhero adaptations. But as I have gotten older, maybe wiser, I have been more open to both visual and story driven changes to these long lived franchise characters. I don't have a list for Luthor right now, but if Chiwetel were cast I would not have a problem with it. I would just hope his American accent was up to snuff. Of course that would be my only reservation if D. Craig were cast as well.

That's fine. But Batman is white, Superman is white, Joker is white (heh), Luthor is white, etc....if I'm making a movie about something I want to stay as close to whatever it is I'm making as possible and not "reinvent" the wheel with it. Why even bother making it then if you're going to change **** like that that doesn't need to be changed in the first place? It's not like it is a hard thing to do...just cast a white guy because the character is white. (goes for whatever race....I don't care how good the actor is if they look and seem like nothing like what they're supposed to be portraying, it's miscast)

That's fine. But Batman is white, Superman is white, Joker is white (heh), Luthor is white, etc....if I'm making a movie about something I want to stay as close to whatever it is I'm making as possible and not "reinvent" the wheel with it. Why even bother making it then if you're going to change **** like that that doesn't need to be changed in the first place? It's not like it is a hard thing to do...just cast a white guy because the character is white.

I had a similar take to yours for a long time. But superheroes and their fictional worlds, I think, come from the same place in the human psyche that caused the creation of the older pagan/pantheistic "myth's" of the ancient world. Yet those myths were also subject to change over time. I think that, yes you can change these characters to the point where they are not even close to embodying the essential nature the majority of fans would recognize (That Spider-Man drives a mecha show from Japan springs to mind). But change and adaptation is a hallmark of these "mythic" characters. And as this country's demographics inevitably shift we will see more changes in the racial presentations of these beloved icons. I will admit to being a little uneasy with some of the recreations that have occurred, and I probably will be challenged to accept a lot of the coming changes on a case by case basis. But I am now much more open to these types of things. You are not wrong to hold onto wanting to see these characters as you have seen them done in the past. But change is one of the great "givens" of life. Maybe rolling with it and having some fun at the same time is a more psychically healthy thing for us all to do. Just my two cents. NAMASTE

**** Denzel. Luthor is white. He shouldn't even be considered. Idk why anyone would even suggest such a bogus choice....unless they're going to make him white like they made Robert Downey Jr. black in Tropic Thunder.

I'm actually totally serious with my Denzel suggestion.

Hey I'd like a white Lex too, it's not that I'm for changing the race of the character. My favorite versions so far have been Michael Rosenbaum on Smallville and Clancy Brown in the DCAU. If there was a white actor who could play the part to a tee then I'd absolutely want him. But IMO there are very few white A-list or even good B-list actors that can truly play the part. He might be black, but in terms of acting ability, I think Denzel would nail it hook line & sinker! He can be incredibly suave & charismatic, or a total bad-ass, or manipulative/menacing, sometimes all in the same movie (like American Gangster which I mentioned before). Not to mention that Denzel is also an A-list star who'd bring a ton of credibility to the role. Just because he doesn't fit the typical look of Lex doesn't mean that he couldn't play him, because Denzel has way more than enough talent to spit & chew the character!

Unless someone else has an equally great suggestion for a white actor, I'm going to keep pushing for Denzel!

I had a similar take to yours for a long time. But superheroes and their fictional worlds, I think, come from the same place in the human psyche that caused the creation of the older pagan/pantheistic "myth's" of the ancient world.

Yes, in that they're all made up and someone imagined them; one is just as fake and "make believe" as the other. Lol.

Quote:

Yet those myths were also subject to change over time. I think that, yes you can change these characters to the point where they are not even close to embodying the essential nature the majority of fans would recognize (That Spider-Man drives a mecha show from Japan springs to mind). But change and adaptation is a hallmark of these "mythic" characters. And as this country's demographics inevitably shift we will see more changes in the racial presentations of these beloved icons. I will admit to being a little uneasy with some of the recreations that have occurred, and I probably will be challenged to accept a lot of the coming changes on a case by case basis. But I am now much more open to these types of things. You are not wrong to hold onto wanting to see these characters as you have seen them done in the past. But change is one of the great "givens" of life. Maybe rolling with it and having some fun at the same time is a more psychically healthy thing for us all to do. Just my two cents. NAMASTE

Interesting views there, but I really think if they want to change mainstays of "myths" so bad, they can just make up new ones, like they also did with myths. Changing the color of a character's skin does not make him any more or less relevant. I think that's kind of absurd to think. Just as those myths are products of their homelands, eras (yes they are allowed to be updated in the modern sense that Batman no longer drives a 30s automobile and the characters no longer dress in fedoras, etc, adjustments like that should go without saying), and people, so superheroes are of theirs. The Greek Gods don't become any less Greek because a white american likes the stories and wants to tell them. Changing them in that sense isn't something I can really have "fun" with at all. I'd almost rather not see anything done with them at all than to see them distorted and misinterpreted. I really don't think it's too much to ask, ya know? But if you were able to make peace with it, then great for you and I'm happy for you in a way I suppose. lol

Hey I'd like a white Lex too, it's not that I'm for changing the race of the character. My favorite versions so far have been Michael Rosenbaum on Smallville and Clancy Brown in the DCAU. If there was a white actor who could play the part to a tee then I'd absolutely want him. But IMO there are very few white A-list or even good B-list actors that can truly play the part. He might be black, but in terms of acting ability, I think Denzel would nail it hook line & sinker! He can be incredibly suave & charismatic, or a total bad-ass, or manipulative/menacing, sometimes all in the same movie (like American Gangster which I mentioned before). Not to mention that Denzel is also an A-list star who'd bring a ton of credibility to the role. Just because he doesn't fit the typical look of Lex doesn't mean that he couldn't play him, because Denzel has way more than enough talent to spit & chew the character!

Unless someone else has an equally great suggestion for a white actor, I'm going to keep pushing for Denzel!

As long as they paint him white, then that's fine with me.

Lex is a little bigger than Perry White or even the Kingpin. There aren't many things required to get him right in terms of looks: bald, and white (obviously). I don't care how great an actor Jamie Foxx or Will Smith is, I don't ever want to see either as Superman, even if they could nail the personality to a "t". If Verne Troyer could nail the act, I wouldn't want to see him as Superman either.

And Kingpin isn't that close to Lex. Lex is a genius, political figurehead and amazing businessman. Kingpin just oversees crime in NY. Take Kingpin out of NY and he's just a fat guy. Lex can rule the world.